Awakening
by Danny vs A Month
Summary: The Princesses of Heart weren't the only people awakened when Sora unlocked his heart. Not all the hearts had a body in the room, however. Ventus is back and is determined to singlehandedly save his best friends. VenQua
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters.

* * *

Awakening

Inside Castle Oblivion, a single, weary, and weakened heart floated toward a boy seated on the throne. It had been searching for him for years now but only now did it find its rightful home. Only now, did the heart find its true owner; Ventus.

As the heart passed into his body, he slowly began to stir straightening and looking around groggily before struggling to his feet on legs that had long since lost feeling. He collapsed falling onto his stomach and trying to move his leg only to have pain shoot through his body from his legs. In the end, he simply dragged himself out of the room into a long hallway. His legs were killing him and making it nearly impossible to breath but that didn't matter. After several minutes, he finally reached a staircase and pushed himself to his feet. They threatened to give out again but he leaned heavily on the hand rail as he carefully lowered himself down the steps one at a time. Eventually he reached the ground floor and his legs again gave out. He dragged himself to the door and forced it open as best he could then dragged himself out of the castle.

When he was outside in the sunshine, he rolled onto his back and pulled his pants up to look at his legs. They were both pale but the color was slowly returning. After several more minutes, he was finally able to push himself up and stay on his feet. He began to hobble along the road away from the castle and soon met a traveler in a dark maroon cloak walking away from the castle. Ventus hobbled toward him calling out but the person kept walking. Finally, Ventus managed to catch up and caught the man by the shoulder. The man suddenly spun around and smashed Ventus back with his arm and the man through off his cloak grinning from ear to ear, only, it wasn't a man, or even human. The person was about his height with silver and dark grey armor with a red and black heart-shaped emblem similar to that of the Unversed. This emblem had red jagged lines cutting the heart into four pieces with the bottom having three spikes, two on the sides and one on the bottom. The creature's legs were bent like a dog's with the feet being spikes and it was holding a short blade with a cross guard just barely longer than the blade was wide but with the handle horizontal and connected with two pieces of metal on the ends to the cross guard.

Ventus threw himself backward out of the way of a swing, falling onto his back as his still-weak legs gave out. The knight instantly dashed forward raising its sword but Ventus summoned his key blade just in time to slash the knight's sword away then slash it across the chest making it explode into a cloud of darkness before a single heart floated out of the top of the cloud then disappeared into a smaller cloud of darkness.

"What was that?" Ventus wondered aloud laying on his back and trying to move his legs.

He pushed himself to his feet and looked down at Wayward Wind on the ground in front of him.

"At least I can still use my keyblade," Ventus said bending over carefully and picking it up.

Then he aimed it skyward opening a portal then threw it. It turned into a winged waveboard-like vehicle, as he remembered it doing. He jumped onto it as it passed and then piloted it through the portal to Disney Castle where he remembered Mickey lived.

When he arrived, the ship hit the ground and threw him off of it turning back into its keyblade form and landing beside him. He pushed himself up and his legs instantly gave out as nausea shot through him. He decided to simply lie on the soft grass he had landed on until his legs woke up. After a few minutes, a small female voice asked if he was okay, well, squeaked was more accurate given how high the voice was.

Ventus looked up and saw a mouse that looked a lot like Mickey but with a tiara with a red mouse head symbol on top, and a pink and red dress with a large red ribbon on the back.

"Oh, Your Highness," Ventus said struggling to his feet and bowing.

"Relax," Minnie said. "You don't need to bow to me. What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Mickey," Ventus said.

"Oh," Minnie said. "He's not here right now, but if you'll kindly follow me, I can give you the grand tour before he gets back. Walking will help your legs wake up."

"How did you know they were asleep?" Ventus asked.

Minnie merely smiled and began walking away. Ventus shrugged and followed and after about fifteen minutes of the tour, his legs finally stopped hurting and shortly after, the tour ended at the library.

"So, how's Aqua?" Minnie asked.

"I...I don't know," Ventus said. "The last thing I remember is battling Vanitas. I'm not sure what happened to her while I did."

"Who?" Minnie asked just as the door opened and Mickey walked in holding several books, all of which promptly crashed to the ground as Mickey stared in shock at Ventus.

"You...you're awake!" Mickey said happily running over and jumping at him giving him a hug. "It's been years! How did you wake up?"

"I don't know," Ventus said.

"I think I might," a calm masculine voice said as a tall man with silver hair walked in.

"Riku!" Mickey said happily turning to the man.

"Riku?" Ventus said. "Terra and Aqua mentioned you."

"I think that the Princesses of Heart weren't the only ones whose hearts were released when Sora saved Kairi in Maleficent's Castle," Riku said. "I think Ventus's heart was also released. Where were you?"

"I was in Castle Oblivion," Ventus said.

"I guess your heart forgot why it was there then," Riku said smirking. "That castle turns memories into worlds and people. Your heart probably got lost."

"Probably," Mickey said. "But either way, you're awake now. That's good news."

"Wait," Ventus said. "You said it's been years. How many?"

"Gee," Mickey said thinking. "At least ten."

"Ten years?" Ventus asked. "What happened to Aqua...and Terra? And how come I still look sixteen?"

"Whelp," Mickey said staring at the ground, "That's not a very pleasant story. When Terra fought Xehanort, Terra won but Xehanort managed to possess him. Then Aqua fought him to attempt to bring Terra back but failed. Xehanort locked his heart and Terra along with it then went to the Realm of Darkness and Aqua followed. In an attempt to save the man that was once her friend, Aqua sacrificed both her keyblade and her armor to send Terra back to the Realm of Light. Then she was trapped there...and still is."

"Xehanort is controlling Terra and Aqua is in the Realm of Darkness?" Ventus asked.

"Yes," Mickey said.

"Then send me to the Realm of Darkness," Ventus said. "I have to save Aqua."

"What about Terra?" Riku asked.

"He's next," Ventus said. "But first I need to find Aqua. Will she look older?"

"Actually, both of your friends should be about as old as when you went to sleep," Mickey said. "Physically, at least."

"I see," Ventus said. "Send me."

"You should think about this a bit before you just run off," Riku said.

"Send me," Ventus commanded more forcefully. "Now."

Mickey sighed and held his keyblade up. Riku and Ventus did the same and a moment later, a door opened on the wall. It was tall, grey, and had a stained glass window in the point of the top. The door opened and Light spilled through for a moment before fading and revealing a landscape bathed in shadow with obsidian stone on the ground and as well as what looked like strange buildings and arches stretching from building to building and sometimes randomly in between. Ventus took a deep breath then stepped through the door which Riku and Mickey then closed behind him and the three of them locked it.

THE END

* * *

Read and review.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters.

* * *

Found

The door vanished and Ventus looked around. Everything was dark, depressing, and seemed to be radiating evil and danger.

Seconds after Ventus arrived, a single massive creature stood out of the ground in front of him standing easily twenty feet tall and completely black with tentacles wrapped around its head and a set of glowing yellow eyes. The creature reached for Ventus and he summoned his keyblade slashing the hand when it was in range. The creature roared in pain then reached for him with its other hand just as a suit of familiar armor and keyblade appeared in front of him out of a sphere of light.

"That's..." Ventus began but stopped when the armor shot through the air to the creature's shoulder then slashed its throat killing it.

Then, the armor flew back landing in front of him and simply standing there.

"So, are you going to just stand there?" Ventus asked receiving no answer. "Can you lead me to Aqua?"

The armor cocked its helmet to the left then straightened it before shaking it slowly. Ventus sighed looking down for a moment before Wayward Wind began to glow. The light condensed to a single spot the size of his fist then left the keyblade forming a floating sphere that then began to float away. Suddenly, several creatures similar to the giant one formed. These seemed less muscular and more chubby and had no tentacles around their head, only two jagged antennae. The armor instantly sprang forward attacking the creatures with the keyblade that Ventus knew all too well. Ventus moved to help the armor in destroying the creatures and they all disappeared easily, and they were finished within thirty seconds. Then, knights began to appear, all exactly alike and all exactly like the one he had killed when he first left the castle.

"Shit," Ventus said readying himself as the sphere continued to float away.

The knights all ignored him and the armor and dashed after the sphere. The armor instantly began destroying them and Ventus helped but the knights still got past. Ventus and the armor chased them but the one in front caught the sphere and slashed it destroying it. Ventus and the armor quickly finished the knights and Ventus stopped with the Armor at his side.

"Great," Ventus said. "Now how do we find her?"

The armor looked at him then raised its keyblade pointing it at his heart. He looked down at it then back up at the armor just as it flipped the keyblade over holding the hilt out to him. He understood and took it, then the armor shot into it and it glowed for a moment then it was simply a weapon. A magic weapon that could unlock just about anything, but still just a weapon.

Ventus sighed and looked around. According to the armor, he could find her by following his heart. The problem was, his heart hadn't exactly been the most reliable thing in his life. It was extremely fortunate that his heart was telling him loud and clear to start running straight ahead and not look back for any reason until he found her. Otherwise, he would have given up hope.

He began running straight and less than a second later, there was a massive feral roar behind him followed by several high-pitched screams. They weren't human screams, however, they were all more unsettling than the roar had been. He wanted to look back, to know what was chasing him and how far away it was, but he pushed himself harder. He focused on sprinting forward. He had to find Aqua. Of course, his heart was saying nothing about attacking. He grinned and sent a single Aero Spell over his shoulder and heard another scream as a heart sailed past his head before fading. Two more Aero spells quickly followed, followed by two screams.

Just as a beach came into view, two massive creatures leapt in front of him. One was a massive canine with blue fur but a reddish orange mane, red claws, three per foot, one of which was a thumb on each forefoot. Blue thorns wrapped around its body and it had chains on its wrists and ankles. The other creature was even more intimidating. It was larger and more muscled. It had six spikes of fur coming off the back of its head, three per side and three spikes running down its back, all nine were a bright pink and its body the same shade of black as the other. This one had a tail tipped in the same shade of pink with four purple spikes that matched its feet and the five claws on the front two and three on the back. It also had chains on the front two feet and glowing yellow eyes as well as glowing blue lines on the sides of its head and at the base of the spikes of its back.

The smaller of the two leapt at Ventus and he dropped to his back and slashed the creature's two front legs making it release a very high-pitched scream. Then Ventus flipped onto his feet just in time for the other one to swat him aside with it right forefoot. Ventus stood just as an army of knights rose out of the ground around him.

"I can't win," Ventus said wearily readying himself with both keyblades.

The knights numbered in the hundreds but he was more worried about the two massive beasts that were standing a short distance from him waiting for him to make his move. He held his own keyblade backhand and the other normally in his left and held it in front of himself horizontally. When one knight stepped toward him, everything charged, including Ventus and the two beasts. He began spinning and slashing through the knights and within seconds the two beasts caught him and began swinging and snapping at him. He dodged their attacks slashing them when he could but most of the time he was simply killing knights while blocking and dodging any and all attacks directed at him. Finally the two beasts backed off and the knights withdrew as more began to rise. Ventus took the opportunity to hit the circle on his pauldron activating his armor which covered his body instantly including his helmet and he readied himself again.

The knights now numbered around one thousand or more and with the two beasts it might as well have been ten thousand. The knights parted and the smaller of the two beasts began walking directly toward him. Ventus crouched lower and readied himself. Just as the creature leapt at him, Ventus launched a fire spell at it. The spell hit and the beast shot backward crashing into the other but the other hit it upside the head and it rolled over charging at Ventus again. Ventus ran back at it jumping over it and slamming both keyblades into its face sending it shooting back at the other beast. The larger beast caught the other by the throat in its mouth then crushed it and the beast exploded into a cloud of darkness, its heart floating skyward.

"Nice friend," Ventus said looking around as all of the knights suddenly began to pick their feet up about and inch then put it back down and raise the other so quickly that it looked like they were vibrating and sounded about the same.

Suddenly, they were all blurring toward him. He began to move instantly blocking slashes and stabs and hitting the knights with both keyblades as well as any and every spell he knew. After about fifteen minutes, he felt something pull at his shirt and heard it tear at the same time that his body went numb. He stumbled toward the tip of a blade but slashed it aside then killed its owner and looked back to see a piece of his armor hanging on the remaining beast's bloody claw. He kept himself moving slashing and killing as many knights as he could and as fast as he could. Finally, the beast's tail whipped out of the swarm of knights tripping him and the knights surged instantly. He blasted the nearest one with an Aeroga spell and the explosion of wind destroyed several dozen knights and the rest stopped as the beast stepped out of the swarm and began to walk slowly toward its meal.

Just as it neared him, a Firaga exploded on the side of its face sending it flying over the knights before a familiar keyblade wielder stepped between him and the bulk of the knights. She took a defensive stance and he reached up gripping her arm and pulling himself up just as the soldiers all charged. Once up, he held out both of his keyblades and began spinning and firing Aerogas out of the tips of them as fast as he could until the knights were all dead. He dropped to his knees and the beast instantly pinned him to the ground hitting Aqua aside. It raised its other foreleg and swung downward but Ventus slashed the leg pinning him then rolled out of the way of the other then stabbed the beast in the chest. It smashed him away and he lost his grip of Wayward Wind leaving it planted in the beast's chest. He pushed himself up as a single knight rose and the beast charged at Aqua. Ventus moved to fight the knight with the keyblade he had managed to keep and it matched him blow for blow growing blacker each time their blades clashed. Suddenly, it became a sphere of darkness before forming a copy of Ventus down to the keyblade in his hand.

"Right," Ventus said as his helmet disappeared because he wanted to be able to breathe easier.

Ventus charged and the shadow version of him matched him. Their blades clashed and it instantly spun past him. He blocked the slash then dropped trying to trip the shadow but it jumped over his leg and swung at him. He blocked it then rolled away from it and stood thinking quickly.

"It's me," Ventus said. "Can't be him then."

He flipped his keyblade around and stood straight praying he could pull it off. He heard Aqua fighting behind him and knew she was loosing and he had to hurry and finish the fight.

When the shadow dashed forward, Ventus covered the ground around himself with fire traps and the shadow detonated all of them when he stepped on one. The explosion sent it flying but it righted itself just in time for Ventus's Firaga spell to hit it in the face and blow its upper body to shreds.

He turned toward Aqua and the beast just as its tail swung around wrapping around her and stabbing its spikes into her torso then slamming her into the ground. It ripped its spikes out throwing her away and Ventus blasted it with an Aeroga. He also charged at it and slid under it grabbing Wayward Wind then standing between it and Aqua. It crouched growling and then charged. Ventus only had enough energy for one more spell and needed to heal Aqua. He looked to his right and saw Master Keeper laying on the ground a short distance away. The beast saw what he was looking at and charged at him before he could get yet another weapon but he simply spun slashing it several times then rolled to Master Keeper and picked it up throwing it at the beast. The beast caught it between its teeth then threw it away. It sailed into the distance and off of a cliff then the beast turned back to Ventus.

"Damn," Ventus said. "Alright. Let's try this then."

The beast charged at Ventus and Ventus charged back. Just as the beast roared, Ventus leapt down its throat and began slashing and shredding his way down its throat. Then, the beast dissolved into a cloud of darkness and Ventus rushed over to Aqua, suddenly aware of how lightheaded he had become from blood loss.

"Wake up Aqua," Ventus said as he used Curaga to heal her wounds.

She groaned ad sat up looking around and seeing him then his wound.

"You're hurt," Aqua said.

"I'll live," Ventus said. "Here, this belongs to you."

He handed her Rainfell and her armor shot out of it covering her before retracting into her shoulder guards.

"Thank you," Aqua said before using a Curaga on him and healing his wound as well as repairing his armor.

"Thanks," Ventus said.

"How are you awake?" Aqua asked.

"Long story," Ventus said. "Come on. Let's get home and have Mickey tell you."

"Alright," Aqua said. "How?"

"Not a clue," Ventus said.

"Ven," Aqua said. "Thank you for finding me."

"Of course," Ventus said. "I'd find you anywhere. I'll always be here for you."

"Well I don't know about you being _here_ for me," Aqua said grinning. "I think that you being in the Realm of Light for me would be much more helpful."

"Funny," Ventus said. "Let's just find a way home, okay?"

"Just follow your heart," Aqua said. "Eventually it will lead you to what you want most."

"That won't help much," Ventus said. "Besides, it's your turn to lead."

Aqua smiled then closed her eyes for a moment. Seconds later, a column of blinding light appeared in front of them opening into a large rectangular doorway. On the other side, Aqua and Ventus could see Destiny Island.

"Ready to go home?" Aqua asked.

"Yes," Ventus said smiling. "Home."

* * *

Read and review.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters.

* * *

Complete

Ventus landed first crashing down painfully into the water and then swimming back to the surface. Aqua landed moments later and joined him. They looked around and saw the island a short distance away but it was deserted. They still both swam to it and dragged themselves onto the beach then lay on their backs still exhausted from their fight.

"We're back," Ventus said. "Now we just need to go to Disney Castle."

"Not yet," Aqua said. "I'm going to rest first."

"Good idea," Ventus said. "What were those things anyway? They weren't Unversed."

"No," Aqua said. "The Unversed disappeared with Vanitas, as near as I can tell. Those were something called Heartless. They are created from the darkness in people's hearts and are drawn to it. They use it to corrupt people and turn them into more heartless. When destroyed, their hearts are sent back to darkness where they reform into the same Heartless they were. Unless killed by a keyblade. Then their hearts go into a false Kingdom Hearts."

"How do you know all this?" Ventus asked.

"I met a man in the Realm of Darkness named Ansem," Aqua said. "He used to study the human heart and the Heartless. Anyway, he said that a group called Organization was using the Heartless and something else called Nobodies to form Kingdom Hearts. The leader was a powerful Nobody named Xemnas. His original name was Xehanort."

"Xehanort became a...what, exactly?" Ventus asked.

"A Nobody," Aqua said. "Basically, when a person with a strong heart becomes a Heartless, their body becomes a Nobody. Usually, they are mindless servants called Dusks. Sometimes, however, they remember what it was like to be alive and become Nobodies like the Organization members. The more powerful they are, the more different they are. There are several different kinds of Dusks."

"Okay," Ventus said. "So the Organization is...active?"

"Destroyed," Aqua said. "A keyblade wielder named Sora wiped them out."

"Sora?" Ventus asked. "Apparently my heart merged with his when I died."

"That explains how you woke up," Aqua said. "Apparently his girlfriend, or at least the girl he loves, had her heart taken by a Heartless so he used a dark keyblade and freed her heart from inside him somehow along with several other people's. It must have freed yours as well. But the spell I put on the Land of Departure must have delayed your heart by a couple years."

"Explains a bit," Ventus said. "So, ready to go see our old friend?"

"Maybe...but," Aqua's eyes fell to the ground and Ventus thought he knew what was wrong.

"What is it?" Ventus asked.

"My keyblade isn't responding," Aqua said. "I don't think it accepted me."

Ventus held his hand up and Rainfell appeared in his hand. Aqua nodded understanding and Ventus let it disappear.

"That complicated things a little," Ventus said. "Can't use two if both belong to me. We'll have to share. Which has more room."

"Yours," Aqua said. "Mine actually has less because of the bow."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Ventus sighed standing and using Wayward Wind to create a portal to Disney castle then throwing it so that it would turn into the board.

It stopped when it arrived and Ventus stepped on. Aqua stepped up placing her feet between his and wrapping her arms around him for balance. He did the same and the board rocketed upward and through the portal. After a few seconds, they arrived and the board slammed into the side of a bush sending both flying. Ventus was really starting to hate going to Disney Castle. He landed on his back and Aqua slammed down on top of him. She groaned and pushed herself up and looked down at Ventus, instantly seeing that his face was bright red.

"Sorry," Aqua said. "Having trouble breathing?"

"Maybe he needs mouth to mouth," Riku said leaning on the bush they had crashed into.

Ventus's face instantly darkened to the color of blood. Aqua also turned red and all but leapt off of Ventus shooting Riku a death glare. Ventus pushed himself up retrieving Wayward Wind from the bush.

"Congratulations," Riku said. "You saved Aqua single handedly."

"To be fair," Ventus said, "she ended up saving me."

"Who was it that almost died?" Aqua asked.

"Who was it that was brave enough to fight the monster twelve times the size of her?" Ventus asked.

"Enough," Riku said. "You can have your little lover's quarrel later. A few things have happened since you left."

"How long was I gone?" Ventus asked.

"A month," Riku said. "Come on. Mickey will explain."

They all walked into the castle to the library and found the others all waiting, including Sora, Kairi, and Yen Sid.

"So what happened?" Ventus asked.

"Sora and I were tried as Keyblade Masters and sent to sleeping worlds to try to save them from things called Dream Eaters," Riku said. "While there, Sora fought Xemnas and went into a coma. Master Xehanort's child form explained that he has been travelling through time and gathering incarnations of Xehanort in order to have a fragment of Master Xehanort's heart sealed inside them. There had to be thirteen of them, the new Organization XIII. Anyway, I fought the young Xehanort then Master Xehanort himself arrived and tried to possess Sora's body. Lea managed to save him then I had to save Sora by fighting your armor inside of his dreams."

"My armor?" Ventus asked.

"Must have been left over from when your hearts were combined," Riku said. "Anyway, it got possessed by a Dream Eater and I had to fight it to save him."

"Who's Lea?" Ventus asked.

"He was a Nobody in the Organization XIII that Sora and me wiped out," Riku said. "His name was Axel. After he died, he woke up as himself again."

"As it turns out," a cocky voice said from the door, "I was never really a Nobody, since I still had a heart."

"Come again?" Sora asked.

"The Organization Nobodies and Namine all actually still had hearts for whatever reason," Lea said sitting at the table in the corner of the room. "That's why we weren't mindless husks."

"So I'm guessing Xehanort tricked you," Ventus said.

"Good guess," Lea said. "Hey Sora, Riku, want to see what Master Yen Sid showed me how to do?"

"Sure," They both said and Lea held his hand up.

A moment later, a keyblade appeared in it. The keyblade had a chakram for a hilt and hand guard with a blade that looked similar to that of the Frolic Flame keyblade that both Aqua and Ventus had charms for. The chain at the base of Lea's keyblade was made out of chakrams similar to his hilt and the charm was the Keyblade Master symbol. Sora and Riku stared in surprise but Ventus looked around taking a head count. Sora, Riku, Lea, Ventus, Aqua, Mickey, and Kairi. Seven.

"I assume Master Xehanort intends to reforge the X-blade," Ventus said.

"Yes," Riku said. "He needs there to be thirteen of him, or darknesses, and seven lights."

"There are seven of us with a keyblade," Ventus said. "We need to find and kill him now. I would hate for him to bring back Vanitas."

"Agreed," Yen Sid said. "Mickey and Riku will leave and begin searching. Sora and Kairi will also go but will go separately from Mickey and Riku. Ventus and Lea, you must train under Master Aqua to become Keyblade Masters."

"Sir," Ventus said. "May I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course," Yen Sid said motioning for him to follow.

They walked to the throne room then the Hall of the Cornerstone before Yen Sid turned to face him.

"What is it?" Yen Sid asked.

"When Aqua was trapped in the Realm of Darkness, she sacrificed her keyblade and armor," Ventus explained. "Her armor is with her again but her keyblade only answers to me not after it found me while I was searching for her. She can no longer summon it. Is there any way to return it to her?"

"If you were a Keyblade Master, you could perform the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony with her and she would be able to summon both yours and hers," Yen Sid said. "You would also be able to wield both and you could simply use your own. However, you would need to be at the very least on level with a Keyblade Master."

"What do I have to do?" Ventus asked.

"First, become stronger, you are yet weak," Yen Sid said. "Then, all you need to do is hand her one of your two keyblades and they should both be inherited."

"How will I know when I'm strong enough?" Ventus asked.

"When you can see through lies, you will be ready," Yen Sid said.

"Can't I just fight Aqua like her and Terra did?" Ventus asked.

"That method has long since been ineffective," Yen Sid said. "Keyblade wielders are weaker than they used to be."

"Yes but I was alive back then too," Ventus said. "Besides, she's a Keyblade Master, shouldn't it be about the same as me fighting Vanitas for control of my own heart in order to stop him from taking complete control?"

"According to Mickey, you failed," Yen Sid said.

"No," Ventus said. "The X-blade was never finished, not really. Aqua was only able to fight him because I was fighting for control inside, a fight that I won. That's the reason my heart went to Sora, part of it was in the X-blade that Vanitas wielded, which I destroyed."

"I'm sorry," Yen Sid said. "I can't make you a Keyblade Master. Not yet."

"Very well Master," Ventus finally conceded.

"Now," Yen Sid said. "I fear that Master Xehanort may make Vanitas one of the thirteen Darknesses, if this is true, you must not engage him. You must not give him the chance to form the X-blade again."

"Very well, Master," Ventus said. "I understand."

"Before you go," Yen Sid said. "How is it that you can wield two when no one else can?"

"Sora can, can't he?" Ventus asked.

"Only through whatever remains inside of him of your heart," Yen Sid said. "You, however, wield both yours and Aqua's with only your own heart."

"I don't know then," Ventus said. "Guess I'm just lucky."

"Perhaps," Yen Sid said. "Or there's something about you that you don't know."

"Like what?" Ventus asked.

"Perhaps Vanitas was never truly gone," Yen Sid said.

"If he were still inside me he'd be fighting for control," Ventus said. "Anyway, we should get back."

"Yes," Yen Sid said. "And you'll need to give Aqua her keyblade."

Ventus nodded and they went back to the library to see Aqua allowing Lea to attack her with his keyblade while she easily avoided the swings.

"Not accustomed to a blade?" Ventus asked as Lea's keyblade stuck in the ground driving the butt into his stomach.

"No," Lea said. "Usually I use chakrams."

"I see," Ventus said summoning Rainfell and handing it to Aqua then summoning Wayward Wind.

Ventus flipped his keyblade around to his usual backhand position and readied himself and Lea charged. Ventus instantly noticed that the extremely wide guard was awkward to work with, especially since Lea was trying and struggling to use only one arm like Aqua and Ventus. After blocking several swings and dodging more, Ventus slipped his keyblade into the guard and yanked it away from Lea pinning it to the ground at his feet.

"First problem is that the guard is too wide for one handed attacks," Ventus said. "How's the grip?"

"Kind of slippery," Lea said.

"Take the gloves off," Ventus suggested.

Lea removed the gloves tucking them into his pocket then summoned his keyblade back to himself and gripped it with both hands similar to how Roxas used to and Sora did. Then, he ran forward swinging over his head and Ventus blocked it then spun throwing the blade away and Lea spun away from him swinging at his other side. Ventus blocked that attack too and Lea spun away taking his stance again.

"Much better," Ventus said. "Now, next you should..."

"I sense it too," Aqua said.

"What?" Lea asked.

"He's here," Ventus said pulling Wayward Wind out of the ground and clutching his Wayfinder subconsciously with the other.

He looked down at it then at Aqua before removing it and the charm on Wayward Wind. He attached the Wayfinder and Wayward Wind shone brightly for a moment before the light faded and left his Ultima Weapon. It had a white and blue filigree in a pattern reminiscent of fish bones around a silver sword blade. It had a light blue Wayfinder-style star for teeth and Ventus's Wayfinder for a charm which had also turned blue like Aqua's, and had a heart at the top of the hilt, and an elongated inverted star extending along the blade from the top of the heart.

"Who is it?" Lea asked.

"Vanitas," Ventus said turning toward the door just as it exploded toward them. Ventus and Aqua both slashed a door in half and Yen Sid obliterated the four pieces with a spell and dusted himself off.

Vanitas had his helmet on but there was something off. In place of the red on his armor, helmet, and keyblade, there was a pale white giving him a monochrome look.

"I love the new color scheme," Ventus said.

Vanitas tilted his head, his helmet making it impossible to tell who he was looking at.

"What's wrong?" Ventus asked. "No words for your dear enemy and other half?"

"I don't think that's the real Vanitas," Aqua said. "He feels different."

"Either way, this will be over quickly," Ventus said raising his keyblade.

Before he could take two steps, Vanitas was standing beside him. Ventus spun swinging at him but he was already gone. Ventus looked around and saw Vanitas lounging in a chair at the back of the room reading a book with a sketch of Ventus's Ultima Weapon on the front.

"How did he do that?" Ventus asked.

"No clue," Aqua said. "Maybe he can teleport now."

"Exactly," Vanitas said, his voice slightly distorted by his helmet. "Master Xehanort says hello, by the way. He also says that when I bring him Aqua, she's mine."

"Fuck you," Ventus spat readying himself again.

"Are you sure you wish to fight me?" Vanitas asked.

"Yes," Ventus said.

"Very well," Vanitas said standing as three more stepped out of him forming a line, each holding a their Void Gears horizontally so that they were touching and the flat side of the blade was facing Ventus.

Suddenly, all of them charged at one of the others, holding their keyblades behind them similar to King Mickey. When Yen Sid's opponent reached him, Yen Sid caught his arm then his throat and blasted him at point blank range with a Firaga spell. Lea blocked one slash then summoned his chakram and slashed his opponent's throat with one of the spikes. Ventus and Aqua were fighting side by side but their two had absorbed the power of the other two.

One Vanitas swung at Ventus's head but he blocked it and Aqua blocked a slash from the other Vanitas. Ventus kicked one away and blasted the other with an Aeroga then Aqua blocked a slash from one and Ventus the other.

Then, one of the two jumped spinning and kicking Ventus in the jaw sending him flying. Aqua blocked his slash and ducked under the other's slash. Then she spun and swung at one's back but the other blocked it and kicked her back. She slammed into the wall then ducked under a slash at the same time as blocking a stab. Then she kicked a Vanitas back as Ventus stood wiping some blood from the corner of his mouth and charging at the Vanitas Aqua had kicked. He slashed Vanitas before he could react then spun and slashed him in the back as well bisecting him. Then he sprinted forward as the last Vanitas absorbed the other. Just as Vanitas raised his keyblade to attack again, Ventus slammed into him shoulder first sending him sprawling on the ground.

Vanitas flipped up and sprinted at Ventus. Ventus swung at him but Vanitas teleported to Aqua slashing at her. She blocked the slash but he jumped and kicked her in the head smashing her head into the wall. Ventus sprinted forward as Vanitas raised his keyblade but Vanitas suddenly spun stabbing Ventus at the same time Ventus removed Vanitas's head.

Ventus pulled the Void Gear out and healed himself with a Curaga then walked over to Aqua and gently shook her awake. Aqua sat up and looked around seeing the bloody Void Gear as well as the blood-stained hole in Ventus's shirt.

"You're hurt," Aqua gasped.

"It's alright," Ventus said. "I healed it."

"That was very impressive," Yen Sid said. "It was also brave and stupid. Congratulations. I've decided that you are worthy of being a Keyblade Master."

"Thank you Master," Ventus said bowing while restraining a smile.

"It's about time you caught up," Aqua whispered when he had stood up again.

"I could have passed," Ventus said.

"Maybe," Aqua said. "Doesn't matter now though."

"Now, Ventus," Yen Sid said. "You know just about everything a Keyblade Master must know so you might as well skip to Aqua giving you the Keyblade Master specific upgrades."

"The what?" Ventus asked.

Aqua held Rainfell out and a beam of light shot out and hit him square in the chest. A moment later, the beam disappeared and Ventus raised an eyebrow.

"Is that it?" Ventus asked.

"That's it," Aqua said.

"Now Ventus," Yen Sid said. "I think it's time you returned what doesn't belong to you."

"Right," Ventus said summoning Rainfell from Aqua then holding it out.

"Wait, you're..." Aqua trailed off and smiled accepting her keyblade.

"Is there anything I'm supposed to say?" Ventus asked.

"Not unless you want to be cheesy like Terra," Aqua said.

"Well," Ventus said pretending to consider it. "Nah."

"Thank you," Aqua said. "Of course, now I'm not letting you have yours either."

"Yeah right," Ventus said.

"You really are a lot like him," Lea said.

"Who?" Ventus asked.

"Roxas," Lea said. "An old friend of mine. I think he was your Nobody. He was Number Thirteen in the Organization. He was the best out of us all. Except Xemnas."

"Guys," Aqua said. "If Vanitas was back, I'm worried about how many are left to be collected."

"I think two," Lea said. "I counted twelve but one of them was supposed to be Sora.

"Alright," Ventus said. "Let's go."

"Where?" Lea asked.

"For starters, we're going to go get Mickey and Riku, they're the last ones we need Xehanort catching," Ventus said. "Then we'll find Sora and Kairi."

Right," Aqua said walking outside with Ventus while he switched the charm back to Wayward Wind's and put his Wayfinder back around his neck.

Lea and Yen Sid both walk out with them and Ventus and Aqua both turned their keyblades into their Keyblade Gliders after Ventus opened a portal. They both climbed on but Lea coughed loudly and opened a Dark Corridor. Ventus shrugged and he and Aqua both dismounted and turned their keyblades back to normal and followed Lea and Yen Sid through. They stepped out of the portal into a long, massive tunnel with transparent walls with the Nobody symbol all over the place.

"Where are we?" Ventus asked.

"Dark Corridor," Lea said. "Just as fast as your rides."

Just as he said this several dozen Dusks rose out of the ground along with three Trinity Armors.

"So he is back," Ventus said summoning his keyblade along with Aqua and Lea.

"What are those?" Lea asked.

"Unversed," Aqua said. "Precursors to the Heartless."

"I'll handle them," Yen Sid said. "You focus on the Dusks."

Ventus Instantly sent an Aeroga into the Dusks at the same time as Aqua and Lea both sent Firagas and a third of the Dusks were obliterated. Then the three keyblade wielders charged into the small army destroying anything they could reach. While they were, Yen Sid was blasting the Unversed with Thunder spells. He destroyed them quickly and Ventus and the others finished a moment later.

"That was pretty easy, actually," Ventus said.

"Only because the best fighter was taking out the Trinity Armors," Aqua said.

"True," Ventus said. "Anyway, can we go now?"

They all walked to the far end of the Corridor coming out in a massive grass land and saw a lion and lioness in the distance, both looking fairly young.

"Sora!" Lea shouted. "Kairi!"

Both lions ran over and sat down in front of them.

"You found us awfully easily," Sora said.

"We need you to come with us," Ventus said. "And we need to find Mickey and Riku."

"They said something about Castle Oblivion," Sora said.

"Damn," Ventus said. "Aqua."

"Right," Aqua said. "Where's Master Keeper?"

"The Heartless threw it over a cliff in the Realm of Darkness," Ventus mumbled staring at the ground.

"Figures," Aqua said. "Oh well. We'll find it later. For now, let's go."

Lea opened a portal to Castle Oblivion and they all walked through coming out just outside the door. Aqua and Ventus opened the doors and they all walked into the castle.

"So, how are we supposed to find this place?" Lea asked. "This castle is constantly changing and growing on the inside."

"Really?" Ventus asked. "I only had to go down one staircase and one hall and I was at the exit from the Chamber of Waking."

"I set it up that way," Aqua said. "I created this castle. Stick with me and you'll be fine."

"What about King Mickey and Riku?" Lea asked.

"Simple," Aqua said. "They'll be looking for the Chamber of Waking. So they'll be on the opposite side of the castle."

"Interesting," Lea said.

"Lead on," Ventus said as the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. "Quickly."

Aqua nodded and they all began moving through the hallways and staircases leading up then down in a seemingly random order. By Lea's count, they were somewhere on the seventh floor when they finally stopped.

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Lea asked.

"Positive," Aqua said. "They'll be here within fifteen minutes."

"Good to know," a voice said behind them.

They all turned toward it and saw a person wearing an Organization XIII cloak. The person held an arrowgun in his left hand and one of Xaldin's lances in the other. The person was no taller than Ventus but clearly wasn't some random kid.

"Who's he?" Ventus asked.

"One of the Xehanorts," Aqua said as they both summoned their keyblades. "Which one though?"

"The strongest of us," the person said stopping a way away and shooting a single energy arrow at Sora. Before Sora could even react, Roxas stepped out of him and slashed the arrow out of the air and a girl that looked a lot like Kairi but with black hair and Roxas's eyes emerged as well, both holding a Kingdom Key and glaring at the Organization XIII member.

"Welcome back XIII and XIV," the person said holding both weapons up so that they formed a keyblade with the top of the arrowgun for a guard and the lance for both the grip, blade, and a spike on the bottom of the guard. "Prepare to become the final two."

"The what?" Ventus asked just as Mickey and Riku ran in and the other Xehanort Incarnations arrived.

There was Master Xehanort, Young Xehanort, Ansem, Xemnas, Xigbar, Saix, Vanitas, Terra-Xehanort, and three with hoods, one being the one that had drawn out Roxas and Xion. Two removed their hoods and everyone gasped. One was Ventus, and one was Aqua.

"How are we..." Ventus began but trailed off as Master Xehanort stepped forward.

"Join us," He said pulling two spheres of darkness from his chest. "Join us and complete the X-blade at long last."

He held his hands out and the two spheres shot forward in a blur. Ventus stepped forward to shove both Roxas and Xion out of the way but both Vanitas and the Ventus from the Organization tackled him pinning him to the ground just as the two fragments of Xehanort's heart hit Xion and Roxas in the chest instantly shooting darkness around their bodies and covering them. When it faded, Roxas was wearing the same armor as Vanitas and Xion was wearing her Organization XIII cloak.

"Oh no," Aqua said realizing that there were now thirteen Organization members.

As if on cue, Xehanort held out his hand and everyone in the room glowed for a moment before the X-blade appeared in his hand and the castle shuddered violently allowing Ventus to escape Vanitas and the other Ventus. He stood and summoned Wayward wind just in time to block Vanitas, Roxas, and the other Ventus's keyblades all at once while Aqua blocked the other Aqua and Xion's keyblades. Master Xehanort held the X-blade up and swung it once. Its raw power sent all of the people not holding his heart flying. Ventus landed on his feet and caught Aqua who then caught Mickey and the three of them summoned their keyblades while the others struggled to their feet only for Master Xehanort to erect a barrier behind the three keyblade bearers who had first stood.

"This castle is coming down," Master Xehanort said. "I will revive Kingdom Hearts on its remains."

"How?" Aqua asked.

"With this," Young Xehanort said holding up the Master Keeper.

"Run," Aqua said. "Lea, go!"

"Roxas! Xion!" Lea shouted. "You really going to let this creep control you?"

Master Xehanort began to laugh but suddenly both Roxas and Xion twitched and Xehanort stopped looking down at the X-blade. The golden blade stopped glowing and a line of rust colored tarnish spread the length of it and a few pieces fell off.

"I don't think so," Master Xehanort said as Young Xehanort and Xemnas knocked out Xion and Roxas and the X-blade returned to its former complete glory. "Flee if you want. It will change nothing."

He released the barrier and the others ran forward but Mickey held out his hand stopping them.

"We gotta go!" Mickey said. "Lea!"

Lea opened a Corridor of Darkness and they all ran into it and the Xehanort Incarnations did the same, coming out just outside the castle before Master Xehanort brought the castle down and held his X-blade skyward. He had won. Kingdom Hearts' door was already forming in the wreckage of the castle, soon followed by the rest of the castle. Then, the castle stopped forming. It faded leaving only the door and that opened to reveal the Realm of Darkness with a single spot of light scarce miles away. Xehanort smiled and walked into the Realm of Darkness with the others and left the door wide open. The only exception was Xemnas who left to spread the news about Kingdom Hearts being revived.

Ventus stepped out of the Corridor of Darkness last and looked around. The X-blade had been reformed, Kingdom Hearts had been recreated, and the Keyblade War would begin again inside of three weeks. They had lost. It was simply a matter of how they would die, and when.

THE END

* * *

This is the end of this story but I will be making a sequel soon. Sorry about any confusion but I changed it so that there is no second Mickey. I have a better one planned for the once again unknown thirteenth member.


End file.
